The present invention pertains to waste, trash and refuse containers for indoor and outdoor use. More particularly, a waste container assembly of the present invention is of the general type having a container body with a closed lid and a swinging lid door for accessing an interior of the container body.
Waste container assembies having lids with swinging doors are common commercial and household items. Such containers typically comprise a waste receptacle with an upper rim, a lid dimensioned to rest on or fit over the upper rim to close the receptacle, and a door pivotably connected to the lid for providing access to an interior of the waste receptacle. Such container assemblies are frequently used outdoors where they may be exposed to rain and other environmental elements. Lids with pivoting doors make it easy for a user to deposit waste into the container, without leaving the container interior exposed to rainwater and other environmental elements. Such lid assemblies also help to keep debris and odors inside the container.
One such prior art lid assembly includes a lid with a generally dome-shaped exterior that directs rain water thereover to the outside of the waste container. A recess formed in a forward portion of the domed lid extends inwardly and terminates at an inward vertical opening. A mounting bracket is mechanically fastened to an upper portion of an interior surface of the domed lid above the opening. A door is pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket for swinging movement inwardly and outwardly to open and close the lid opening. In another prior art lid assembly, the lid further comprises at least one metal spring for biasing the door outwardly toward its closed position.
A problem with conventional waste container assemblies is that numerous parts, including mounting brackets, mechanical fasteners, and springs are required for pivotally mounting the door to the lid body and for biasing the door toward a closed position. Such multi-component assemblies add to manufacturing and labor cost, and make for a cumbersome assembly process. Also, metal components, such as mounting brackets, mechanical fasteners and springs are susceptible to corrosion, especially when such assemblies are used outdoors for extended periods of time. Waste container assemblies having metal components can also be rather noisy (e.g., a spring-biased metal door returning quickly to its closed position and crashing against the metal rim of the lid, squeeky metal springs or pivot pins, etc.) making them undesireable for use in quiet places, such as hospitals or libraries. Another shortcoming of conventional waste container assemblies is that they do not incorporate a simple and effective means for anchoring or otherwise securing the container assembly to a secure object, so as to prevent theft and to prevent overturning due to adverse weather conditions, such as high winds.